Engagement Party
by Vera The Awesome
Summary: Sakuma's been in love with Kidou for years, and now he's received an invitation to his and Fudou's engagement party. As expected, things go awry. Kidou/Fudou, Kidou/Sakuma, and a dash of Sakuma/Genda.


**A/N: Whoo, I seem to be on a Kidou/Fudou roll these days. XD Aside from _Trouble on the beach_, I also wrote an R-18 fic, which you can find on my Tumblr in the "Vera's drabbles" tag. I didn't upload it here because I'm not sure how this site feels about sex fics right now. Anyway, enjoy this one, minna. :)**

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Sakuma, accompanied by his best friend Genda, walked down the moon-lit street with a heavy heart. They were on their way to Kidou and Fudou's engagement party, located at Kidou's home. The couple had finally tied the knot and would fly off to Europe first thing tomorrow. Seeing as they could hardly bring all their friends along, they'd decided to throw a party instead. Sakuma didn't want to go. He didn't want to go at all. He wanted to turn on his heel and go back home, forgetting this ever happened. Forgetting Kidou and Fudou were in a relationship, and forgetting they were going to get married.

Sakuma adored Kidou. He always had. He'd been so proud of his position as Kidou's right-hand player on Teikoku, all those years ago. He'd supported him in any way he could, even when Kidou was sometimes unreachable to him in terms of strength. He'd once developed an inferiority complex that Fudou took advantage of, but those regretful feelings were long gone. Having been granted forgiveness, Sakuma only fell deeper in love with Kidou for the kind and gentle man that he was. After they graduated, he was determined to stay by his side, and ended up as his proud assistant when Kidou became coach of the Teikoku soccer team. He was well aware his feelings weren't mutual, and with time, he thought he'd accepted the idea of just being in Kidou's shadow, as long as they could spend time together… but then Fudou stole him away.

Needless to say, Sakuma was madly jealous of him. After Fudou used him and Genda to hurt Kidou, he vowed to never be misled again, and distrusted him even when Fudou was allowed a spot on Inazuma Japan. Fudou was sly, selfish, and Sakuma never understood why Kidou decided to give him a second chance. This decision led to their friendship, which eventually developed into a romantic relationship. Sakuma couldn't understand. He couldn't begin to fathom why Kidou had chosen that good-for-nothing scumbag, over him no less. It was hard enough keeping up with him every single day, knowing Kidou was a respected and powerful man… and Fudou only extended that distance.

When he first heard of their relationship, Sakuma immediately visited Genda's house. He'd cried in his arms for over an hour, choking out his pent up feelings and heartbreak. He was forced to smile and pretend he was at peace with their relationship in front of everyone else, but Sakuma trusted Genda more than anyone, and let him know just how much he ached for their ex-captain. Genda's support helped him a great deal. The two of them lived close to each other, and Genda often stopped by to cook and play games and provide all sorts of distractions. They'd always been close, but Genda's determination to keep Sakuma company brought them even closer. For Sakuma, it was the ultimate evidence that Genda would always be there for him. He could never thank him enough for helping him in such a pathetic state, and he tried to repay the favor whenever Genda needed a shoulder to cry on. Those times were rare, though. Genda could usually take care of himself. Nonetheless, his company worked wonders, and Sakuma began to gradually cheer up.

And then they received an invitation to this damn party. To Sakuma, it was nothing but a slap in the face, a nasty reminder that Kidou and Fudou's relationship was good and healthy. So healthy it warranted a marriage. He'd secretly wished time and time again Kidou and Fudou would break up, even though he knew that would bring Kidou sadness. Becoming his boyfriend instead wasn't even Sakuma's priority; he just wanted Fudou away from him. Of all people, he was the worst Kidou could've chosen to spend his life with. Sakuma was angered to think Fudou would hurt him, but at the same time, his rage was only fueled by the fact he didn't and apparently proved himself a worthy partner. Him? A decent romantic partner? Impossible. Kidou deserved way better. He deserved—he deserved Sakuma. He was the one who'd always looked out for him, helped and supported him for over ten years. What had Fudou ever done? Nothing. Nothing worth mentioning. He was just an insect, a parasite, feeding off Kidou's delicate feelings.

"Are you alright?"

Sakuma flinched. He only now realized his hands were clenched at his sides, and from the look on his face, one would guess he wanted someone dead. Which he did. But he didn't say that. He looked up at his friend, who still towered over him like he did when they were teens. "I'm fine," he said, smiling weakly.

Genda wasn't convinced, and he answered him with a soft, understanding expression. "If it becomes too much for you, just tell me. We'll go back home."

"Thank you, Koujirou." Sakuma's smile was more convincing now. As always, he could count on Genda to take care of him. Somewhere along the way, the two of them started addressing one another with their first names, befitting their tight friendship. "But I'll be fine, don't worry." Sakuma wasn't actually sure how much truth was behind those words. Soon, he'd have to put up the usual relationship-approving façade in front of their friends, but he could hardly stay away from the party. He knew Kidou valued him, and that his absence would worry him. That was probably the only reason Sakuma attended in the first place.

They finally reached Kidou's home, which was more of a manor than a house. It was no surprise, considering Kidou's enviable wealth. Having a big place certainly came in handy, what with all these party guests. Sakuma and Genda heard music as they approached the front door, and not five seconds after they rang the doorbell, Kidou opened up.

"Sakuma. Genda!" He cheerfully stepped aside to let them in. "I'm glad you could come. Make yourself at home; there are drinks and snacks in the living room."

Genda patted him on the shoulder. "Thanks, Kidou," he smiled, and he walked on, knowing the way. Sakuma wanted to follow him, but was stopped by a grip on his own shoulder. He turned to see Kidou's grateful expression. "Thanks for coming, Sakuma. You seem a little off lately, so I wondered if something's going on. I wasn't sure if you wanted to come."

Time for the façade to begin. Sakuma had to do a better job than usual, seeing as it turned out Kidou was able to notice his underlying sorrow. He displayed nothing of it in the bright smile he flashed, and he tapped Kidou's shoulder like Genda had. "Thanks for worrying, Kidou, but I'm fine. Did you really think I'd miss out on your engagement party of all things? We're friends, are we?"

Kidou nodded, relieved. "That's right," he answered, seemingly content with Sakuma's answer. He asked nothing more as he shut the door and guided Sakuma to the living room. In there, it turned out many guests got here before them: Sakuma recognized the faces of his old friends in both Teikoku and Inazuma Japan. Kidou went to continue a conversation with Endou and Gouenji. Those three were inseparable as always. Hiroto and Midorikawa, looking suspiciously snugly, sat together on the couch, and an inattentive Kabeyama was about to fall prey to Kogure, who dripped hot sauce on his snacks. Fubuki was catching up with Kazemaru and Tachimukai, as was Toramaru with a hair-brushing Tobitaka, and Tsunami and Hijikata engaged in some sort of drinking contest Sakuma wasn't sure he wanted to know the details of. A moment later, he saw Kurimatsu scold Kogure for his prank, while a few men he didn't know tried to put out the fire in Kabeyama's mouth. He guessed they Kidou's old teammates from Raimon. Along with the members of Teikoku, who were also talking and playing jokes on each other, they seemed to make up most of the guests. Sakuma smiled. It was good seeing them all together again; it'd been far too long. Then his smile faded. No, wait, some of these faces didn't belong to Teikoku. They belonged to Shin Teikoku. No need to guess where they came from. They must've stayed close with their precious captain over the years.

Speak of the devil. Sakuma finally found Fudou in the mass. He was talking with, or rather, being talked to, by Takanashi Shinobu, the only female member of the team. She was wearing a dress that revealed an embarrassing amount of cleavage, and she made sure to give Fudou a good look.

"Too bad for you, Fudou-kun~" she chimed, one hand on Fudou's chest, the other holding a drink. "You won't know what you're missing, not choosing a catch like me~

Sakuma sighed in annoyance. Takanashi was known for being a flirt, and for some godforsaken reason, she was particularly persistent with Fudou. It was a shameless and unpleasant display, but Sakuma wished Fudou would give in to her advances and leave Kidou alone already.

Sadly, he stayed faithful. "Sorry, Shinobu-chan," Fudou smirked as he pulled her hand off of him, "I've found someone hotter than you. Way hotter." … or as faithful as he could get.

"Hey…!" Takanashi indignantly puffed up her cheeks while Fudou and his friends had a laugh. Sakuma decided to ignore them, not wanting to see more of Fudou than he had to. Seeing Genda had joined in on a chat between Jimon and Narukami, he decided to grab something off the snack table. He wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, but he needed_ some_ kind of distraction. He once again faked a smile at the several greetings he got on his way and ultimately plopped down on the couch next to Hiroto and Midorikawa, holding a bowl of chips.

"Yo, Sakuma," Hiroto said, and he and his secretary smiled at him in unison. "We haven't seen you in a while. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing fine," Sakuma lied, forcing a casual tone. "Busy at Teikoku as always, but it has its pay-offs."

"They're a strong team," Midorikawa nodded. "I saw you play on TV recently. Congratulations on your victory, by the way."

"Thanks," Sakuma answered, not sounding very grateful. Not wanting to talk about himself, he shifted the focus to his conversation partners. "And how've you been?"

"Busy, just like you," Hiroto chuckled. "It's one of the most stressing times of the year for the company. We manage, though, thanks to my wonderfully capable secretary here." He threw an arm around Midorikawa, who blushed and shook him off. "Using empty flattery won't work on me, Hiroto."

"Who said it was empty?" Hiroto winked, and Sakuma shook his head. He was amazed_ these_ two of all people hadn't gotten hitched yet. They liked to deny it, but there was probably not a single soul in the room that didn't know they were madly in love with each other.

The three of them perked up when someone repeatedly clinked a spoon against their glass and shouted: "We want a speech!" Soon, most of the guests started chanting "Speech, speech, speech!" and pushed Kidou and Fudou together. All eyes were suddenly on them and Kidou turned a little red, but Fudou seemed to enjoy the attention.

"There's not much to say," he shrugged, "he fell for my charm and wit and I decided to humor him." Laughter roared through the room and Sakuma shot him a glare. Fudou only summoned more resentment when he added: "At least the sex is good," and his guests again burst out laughing. That wasn't funny. That wasn't funny at all. Smug prick.

An embarrassed Kidou nudged him with his elbow and said: "Akio, be serious." He then turned his attention to their audience. "Everyone we invited managed to come, and we appreciate that. It's been so long since we were all together,_ too_ long. From what I gather, you're all doing great, which is good to hear. We couldn't leave behind our friends in need, after all." He smiled. "Ten years ago, I never would've imagined I'd be standing before you, engaged to Akio here. We've had our ups and downs, but we're certain marriage is the right road to take. We want to thank you for coming and sharing our joy."

The guests burst into applause and cheered them on, and Sakuma felt himself drown in the overwhelming noise. It faded to the background as Kidou's words echoed in his mind, over and over and over, until tears flowed freely down his cheeks and an invisible stab in the chest caused him to fold up. He felt sick. He had to get out of here.

Fortunately for him, everyone was distracted by the happy couple, and Sakuma fled to the nearest bathroom. As expected of a grand manor, there was more than one stall, as if Sakuma was standing in a restaurant. He didn't go to the toilet, though. He walked to the sink and pressed his hands down on it, staring at himself in the mirror. He actually looked a little pale. Kidou's speech was enough to make him physically ill. This was bad. He shouldn't have come here. He could throw up any minute and ruin things for himself. Claiming he was merely sick wouldn't erase the humiliation. The humiliation of having to puke because he loved someone who would never love him back. Ever.

Sakuma clutched onto his chest and started sobbing into the sink, but he managed to stop himself when he heard the door open behind him. He flinched, wiped the tears off his face, and turned around to greet the other person as if nothing was wrong. That proved impossible. In front of him was Fudou.

"Look who we have here, the party pooper," Fudou remarked without smiling. "What's eating you, Sakuma-kun?"

Sakuma stared at him. "Wh—why would you call me that?"

Fudou scoffed. "Please. You've been looking like someone died since you got here. If you're just gonna depress my guests with whatever issues you have, you might as well not have come."

Sakuma tried to glare at him, but his angry appearance fell flat due to his shaky voice. "K-Kidou wanted me to come."

Seemingly realizing something, Fudou gave him a curious look. "Did you?"

Sakuma didn't know what to say. Was he supposed to lie and say that he did? He didn't exactly deem Fudou worthy of pulling the effort, and he was on to him anyway. Finally shooting him a decent glare, Sakuma firmly answered: "No." Telling the truth for once actually felt good.

"Thought so," Fudou shrugged, unaffected. "So like I said, what's eating you?"

"That's none of your business," Sakuma snapped.

"Come on, don't be so harsh, Sakuma-kun," Fudou smirked, taking a step closer to him. "We're friends, are we?"

"I don't know who told you that, but I'd rather step in front of a bus than be friends with the likes of you," Sakuma hissed. He was incapable of lying at this point; snarling in Fudou's face was something he'd been longing to do for a very long time.

"Ouch, you wound me," Fudou sighed dramatically. "Don't tell me you're still mad about what happened when we were kids. I know you hold grudges, but that's too much even for—" He suddenly stopped himself. Fudou looked into Sakuma's narrowed eye, quiet for a moment, and then realized something. "… no way. You still like Yuuto, don't you?"

Sakuma turned red. How did he jump to that conclusion? Was he really that transparent? "What—what are you talking about?"

"You used to have a killer crush on him, that was obvious," Fudou answered. "But I thought you moved on to your good pal Genda or something. Didn't you?"

Sakuma didn't respond to that question. He couldn't. He had no idea what to say. He had been caught by one of the worst people to be caught by. Fudou was second only to Kidou. At least he was able to get mad at Fudou, but if Kidou ever found out, he'd sink through the floor in pure shame. Then why couldn't he answer Fudou? Why was he standing there, petrified and lost for words? Why couldn't he just deny Fudou's theory, wave it off like it was nothing? He should be able to say he was in a relationship with Genda for all he cared. It shouldn't be this hard. It shouldn't be this… hard…

Since Sakuma was completely quiet, Fudou flashed a knowing smirk. "Now I get it. You're still head over heels for him, while he goes and gets hitched with someone else. Must be hard for you, huh?"

Sakuma finally averted his eye. "S-shut up," he muttered.

"So I'm right," Fudou concluded smugly. "That's why you're always glaring daggers at me: I stole your precious Yuuto. Don't worry, he's in good care."

"As if." Sakuma was now staring at the floor, and his lips formed words on their own. "You could never take proper care of him. You're going to end up hurting him, I know it. You'll break his heart."

Fudou silently took in those accusations, only to let out a laugh. "Man, listen to you," he snorted. "You're so jealous, it's pathetic. Why are you so sure I'll 'break his heart', hm?"

"Because that's how you are," Sakuma snapped, and he threw up his head to shoot him a furious look. "You see people as tools. You use them until they wear out and then you throw them away. That's how you've always been and that's how you always will be. You're using Kidou for his power, his money, and the moment you don't consider him useful anymore, you'll dump him. You don't love him. You're just a worthless piece of trash."

Fudou's amused smirk finally disappeared. Sakuma had apparently struck a chord, because he was finally done mocking him, and instead approached him until they were uncomfortably close. "That's where you're wrong," he whispered, maintaining eye contact without interruption. "You think you know all about me, but in fact, you don't know shit. You are so stinking jealous you make up these fantasies in order to satisfy your own ego, to make yourself believe you're better than me. Well, guess what: you're not. Yuuto chose me, and that's the end of it. _You're_ the worthless one. You're a loser, a zero." An evil smirk appeared on Fudou's face, reminiscent of his old role as Shin Teikoku captain. "Better say goodbye to your precious Yuuto, Sakuma-_kun_, because you are never going to beat me at anything, especially claiming him. You've lost. Take it like the pathetic little man you are."

Fudou turned away, just missing the fire that welled up in Sakuma's visible eye. He was apparently done with the conversation, but in Sakuma's mind, it repeated over and over. Fudou's words forced him to stiffen, to lose all focus on their surroundings. All he saw was that despicable bastard entering one of the stalls to take a leak. He was going to walk away. He was going to leave it at this. He was going to marry Kidou and forever laugh him in the face when no one was looking. That couldn't happen. Sakuma wouldn't let that happen. It wouldn't end here.

His feet moved on their own, and within seconds, Sakuma had yanked Fudou out of the stall and smashed him against the wall. Blind with rage, Sakuma started pounding his face, using both of his fists. He was too quick for Fudou to defend himself; he just kept hitting him with all he got. He wanted every punch to hurt like hell, to hurt the way Fudou had hurt him all these years. He would never forgive him. He was going to make him pay. He had to pay for taking Kidou from him, for destroying what he held most dear…!

"Jirou!"

Two strong hands suddenly pulled Sakuma away from his target, but he was so infuriated that he tried to break free and attack Fudou again. Only when he saw Genda's face did he regain his senses, albeit slowly. Sakuma blinked as his vision blurred, then sharpened again. He looked over to see Fudou sit on his knees with his hands on his face. His nose was bleeding; for all he knew he might've broken it. Sakuma wasn't sure. All he knew was that he wanted to inflict as much pain as possible, and nothing else mattered.

"What happened here?!" Genda pulled Sakuma aside and Kidou ran in, crouching down beside his fiancé. "Akio, are you alright? You're bleeding—"

"Of course I'm not alright, asshole," Fudou hissed from behind his palm. "Fuck."

Despite his goggles, it was all too clear how worried Kidou was for him. He pulled out a handkerchief to stop the bleeding and checked to make sure none of Sakuma's punches left irreparable damage. Only then did look up at him, his face full of questions, and Sakuma felt his legs weaken. He had actually beaten Kidou's boyfriend to a pulp, all because of his jealousy. He had done a terrible thing. If anything, he'd proven Fudou right. He was nothing but a loser, resorting to violence when he didn't get what he wanted. He was provoked, but still… he could've chosen to ignore it. He could've, but he didn't. He was weak. He was pathetic. He wasn't worthy of Kidou's friendship.

Sakuma suddenly shook Genda's hands off him and dashed out, straight for the entrance of the mansion. He couldn't stay here. He couldn't bear to face Kidou, let alone other guests that might've heard the commotion. Luckily, the hallway was deserted, and Sakuma ran out the door in tears. What had he done? Good God, what had he just done?

"Jirou!"

Sakuma flinched when he realized Genda was following him. He was taller and stronger than him, so it wouldn't take long before he caught up.

"Go away!" he screamed without looking back. "Leave me alone!"

"Jirou, wait!" Before he knew it, Sakuma's hand was caught in a steel grip, and Genda pulled him in a strong embrace. Sakuma tried to struggle free at first, but soon realized it was futile. He was generally weak to Genda's bear hugs, which always managed to provide at least a little bit of comfort. And so he let himself sink in his arms and burst out crying on his chest. Sakuma clutched his hands onto Genda's suit, sobbing and sobbing until his tears were up. And even then, he refused to let go. He didn't want to escape from these arms, face up to his horrible actions. He wanted to vanish. He wanted to just go away and never have to think of anything again.

"Jirou…" Genda lifted one hand to brush through his hair, and Sakuma finally managed to calm down a bit. He pulled back, still sniffing quite drastically. Without words, Genda pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and held it in front of his nose. Sakuma wanted to remind him he wasn't a child and that he could blow it himself, but ultimately let him do as he pleased. Claiming he wasn't a child wouldn't be truthful anyway. His behavior had been nothing short of childish, to say the least.

Genda threw the used handkerchief in a trash bin and led Sakuma to a nearby bench. They sat down and Sakuma immediately plopped his head back on Genda's shoulder. He almost wanted to go and sit in his lap so he could be pampered further. Genda put his arm around him and held him close, observing his tear strained face. "Wanna tell me what happened?"

Sakuma sniffed again. It took him a moment to find the words, and even then, he choked them out with decent effort. "H-h-he… Fudou… He t-taunted me… said all these horrible things…"

"I understand," Genda answered soothingly. "He pushed you past your limit, didn't he?"

"Y-yeah," Sakuma nodded. "He said I was worthless… A-and he knew about my feelings for Kidou. He said I-I'd lost to him and that I was making up t-things because I was jealous."

"Well, he was wrong." Genda put his other arm around him as well. "It's completely understandable that you're jealous. I know how much you love him, and how much it hurts to love someone who loves someone else."

That last part in particular drew Sakuma's attention. He did? Genda had had his share of break-ups over the years, but according to him, that was never because his exes found someone else. So what was he talking about? Sakuma was curious, but decided not to ask. He didn't want to open a possible wound of Genda's when he could barely contain himself in the first place. Little did he know, though, that he himself was involved.

"T-thank you…" he muttered against Genda's shoulder. "But Kidou—he saw it. He knows what I did. H-how am I supposed to explain myself to him? I did something inexcusable."

"Shh, don't worry," Genda soothed. "It's fair to say he's upset at you right now, but you did nothing that can't be forgiven. Remember we're talking about Fudou here; I'm sure this wasn't the first time someone lost their nerve on him."

Sakuma heard the playful tone in his voice and smiled a little. He had a point there; Fudou had undoubtedly been in many fights before. Still, to his knowledge, it was never a close friend that attacked him. He'd betrayed Kidou's trust by assaulting his boyfriend. If he lost it forever because of his stupid actions, he wouldn't know what to do with himself.

"Ah, here you are."

Both Sakuma and Genda snapped up in shock at a sudden third voice, which came from none other than their subject matter. Kidou flashed them a small smile. "I figured you wouldn't be far."

Sakuma felt his heart speed up in panic. What the hell was he doing here? Had he actually followed them so he could tell him off for beating up his boyfriend? Now that he thought about it, being told off was the lightest sentence Sakuma could come up with. The worst, and equally possible, was losing Kidou's friendship. He automatically hid behind Genda as the thought tortured his mind, but Genda suddenly stood and made way for Kidou. "I'll leave you two alone."

What? No! Don't go! Sakuma stared at him in pure fright, but Genda reassured him with a smile. _'You'll be fine,_' was what he thought. He wasn't going to be fine at all. It was way too early to talk to Kidou, he hadn't even begun to think of what to say yet. Nothing he said would suffice, anyway. He couldn't possibly lie to him, but the truth was no better. He'd beat up Fudou because he was jealous, the end. Whatever he did, Sakuma was screwed.

Genda, however, thought quite differently. He patted Kidou lightly on the shoulder before he returned to the mansion. Kidou took his place on the bench, and Sakuma stared a hole into the ground, completely frozen. This had to be one of the worst moments in his life. It didn't get any better when Kidou decided to let him have the first word. An awful silence settled between them, and no matter how hard Sakuma tried to choke out an apology, what eventually left his mouth was: "H-how's Fudou doing?"

Kidou looked at him, neutrally. "He'll recover," he answered. "He's got some bruises here and there, but nothing's broken. He's had worse, don't worry."

"I-I see," Sakuma stammered without returning his gaze. "T-that's good."

"Yeah," Kidou agreed, and he went quiet again. If he still wanted Sakuma to take the initiative, he'd have to wait long, because that small exchange left him even more nervous than before. His face was red and covered in cold sweat at the same time. Even if Sakuma wanted to run away, he doubted he could at this point. He was completely stuck, both in mind and body.

Realizing this, Kidou eventually exhaled a sigh and decided to speak. "I know."

"H-huh?" Sakuma flinched up, carefully looking at him. "Y-you know what?"

"I know why you did it," Kidou clarified. "I understand why you attacked Akio. He always gets on people's nerves, but I believe that's not all there's to it. You… love me, don't you?"

Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. He knew. He actually knew. He was actually aware of Sakuma's deepest, darkest secret, and he just blurted it out like it was nothing. How was he so sure? Where did this come from? How long had he suspected? All these questions almost caused a short circuit in Sakuma's brain. He once again froze, just gaping at Kidou, and what came out of his mouth was nothing but incoherent gibberish.

"C-calm down, Sakuma." Kidou put his hands on his shoulders. "You don't have to worry. It's okay. I've known for a while now."

"W-why—" To his shame, Sakuma suddenly felt himself cry again. And here he thought he'd run his eye dry in Genda's arms. "Why did you never tell me?"

Kidou lowered his head, thinking. "I considered it… but I thought nothing good would come of that. Whether I told you or not, would it actually change anything about the way you feel? Whatever I do, my feelings for Akio won't change. My heart belongs to him, and I'm sorry that that hurts you so much. Truly, I am. I never wanted to cause you pain."

Sakuma fell quiet, thinking over those words himself. Kidou was right. Even if he had told him earlier he was aware of his feelings, he doubted he'd be able to get over them. They were engraved far too deep in his heart. At this point, he feared he would be doomed to forever love a man that didn't love him back. That fear only made him cry more. "I-I-I'm sorry…" he whispered to the bench. "I'm so sorry…"

Kidou, who'd kept his distance all this time, now closed in to give him a hug. Sakuma twitched at first, but then accepted it. "Don't be," he whispered back. "Never be sorry for what you feel. It's beyond your control. I mean, do you really think I'd deliberately fall in love with Akio if I had the choice?" He grinned. "It just happens. You know that as well as I. Before I started a relationship with him, I was ashamed and scared as well. I didn't want to feel this way either. I was lucky to have my feelings reciprocated… and I know that will happen to you as well, Sakuma. Just not with me. With someone who's better suited for you."

'_You're the one who's best suited for me,'_ Sakuma thought, but he didn't actually say anything. It was easy for Kidou to say he'd find someone else. He'd already found his other half, while Sakuma had been stuck with the same feelings for the same person for years. In the end, they'd done more harm than good. Sakuma constantly spent his time fussing over everything Kidou-related, ranging from work to their friendship. He cared for himself, and he cared for his friends, but ultimately, he cared the most for Kidou. His life revolved around him, and an empty promise about finding 'someone better' wouldn't change that. No, Sakuma shouldn't think that way. Kidou never made empty promises. His words held meaning. If he believed Sakuma would be able to move on… perhaps there was hope after all. Sakuma realized Kidou had indeed done good by revealing he knew of his love. He wasn't alone anymore. He'd been so scared of his reaction this whole time, but here he was, holding and comforting him. Even if Sakuma's affections weren't mutual, they were at least thrown out. Finally. No more cropping up. No more dishonesty. No more façade. Sakuma was relieved. Shocked, hurt, worried, but relieved.

"T-thank you… Kidou…" He closed his eye, which had stopped crying, and leaned fully into his embrace. Kidou wasn't a bear hugger, but that didn't make it any less comfortable. He was soft… and warm. And he had the biggest heart on the entire planet. "A-and… and I'm sorry for what I did to Fudou."

"It was quite a shock," Kidou admitted, "but I forgive you. You're one of my best friends, Sakuma. There aren't many things you could do to change that."

Scratch that, Kidou had the biggest heart of everyone in the entire universe. Finally mustering a real, genuine smile, Sakuma returned the hug, tightly. "I love you."

"I know," Kidou smiled, caressing his back. "I love you too." He said nothing for a moment, then added: "We should really be getting back to the mansion. Everyone's waiting."

That comment made Sakuma worry again. "Ah—but—what about—did Fudou tell them? What happened?"

Kidou shook his head. "No, I asked him not to. He told me he wasn't entirely without fault, so we agreed to keep this between us. If anyone asks about his face, we'll say he fell down the stairs."

"That's an old cliché, Kidou…" Sakuma mumbled into his chest. "And a lousy one at that."

Kidou let out a laugh. "Well, if you have a better suggestion, I'll be happy to hear it. You'll have to apologize to Akio, though. But don't worry, I'll be there. If he tries to hit or shout at you, I'll stop him."

Sakuma didn't like the idea of apologizing to Fudou, but compared to being banished from Kidou's life, it was a small price to pay. Besides, that last part put him all the more at ease. "Okay. I'm ready. Let's go back."

Kidou nodded and pulled Sakuma up by the hand. They returned to his house, side by side, without letting go of each other.


End file.
